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Boston LGBTQ youth theater wins White House national arts award – Metro US

Boston LGBTQ youth theater wins White House national arts award

Boston LGBTQ youth theater wins White House national arts award
The Theater Offensive

A Boston-based theater has made history as the first LGBTQ organization to receivethe National Arts & Humanities Youth Program Award at the White House.

True Colors: Out Youth Theater is the country’s largest and longest-running LGBTQyouth theater program. The award is the nation’s highest honor for out-of-school arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity of young people, particularly those from underserved communities, according to the program’s website.

“True Colors’ cultural impact over a generation has been instrumental in helping create not only a safe space for LGBTQ youth to express their creativity and tell their stories, but has also contributed to the progress and advances we have seen for the entire LGBTQ community,” True Colors founderAbeRybeck said when his organization was selected as a finalist.

True Colors is one of 12 winners and the only LGBTQ organization on the list. Boston’sInquilinos Boricuas en AcciónYouthDevelopment, a nonprofit that fosters socio-economic, artistic and intellectual growth in 13 to 19 year olds, also made the list.

First lady Michelle Obama will present the awards at a White House ceremony on Nov. 15. It will be streamed live at 2 p.m. at www.whitehouse.gov/live.